Timothy LeDuc becomes first openly non-binary athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics

Figure skater Timothy LeDuc has made LGBTQ+ history as the first non-binary athlete to compete at the upcoming Winter Olympics.

The monumental news was announced on 8 January by the US Figure Skating organisation.

The 31-year-old and their partner Ashley Cain join fellow ice skating pair Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier on Team USA.

During an Olympic press conference, LeDuc opened up about their landmark achievement and their hopes for future queer athletes.

“My hope is that when people see my story, it isn’t focused on me and saying, ‘Oh, Timothy is the first out non-binary person to achieve this level of success in sport’,” they said.

“My hope is that the narrative shifts more to queer people can be open and successful in sports. We’ve always been here, we’ve always been a part of sports. We just haven’t always been able to be open.”

LeDuc is no stranger to making history. Back in 2019, they became the first out gay athlete to win gold in a US pairs event.

Even though the talented athlete has broken barriers, LeDuc has experienced pushback from critics in the past.

In an interview with NBC Sports’ ‘My New Favorite Olympian’ podcast, LeDuc opened up about the “complications” they faced throughout their journey.

“For me, as a person that exists and really thrives outside of the binary, it can be very complicated sometimes,” they explained.

Two teams taking on the world.

Introducing the pairs of the 2022 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Oby2Kn9MrX

— Team USA (@TeamUSA) January 9, 2022

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